I've had / been having this watch for three years.

I've had this watch for three years.

I've been to Australia last year.

I went to Australia last year.

She's been to lunch. She'll be back in an hour.

She's gone to lunch. She'll be back in an hour.

I was living in China when I was a child.

I lived / used to live in China when I was a child. I worked for an insurance company from 1999 2001. I have worked / have been working for a small company since I left school. I worked in a bank for two years after I left school. When I was a child we played / used to play in the street after school.

I have worked for an insurance company from 1999 2001. I am working for a small company since I left school. I worked / was working in a bank for two years after I left school. When I was a child we played / were playing / used to play in the street after school. I used to have / would have long hair when I was little. In my last job they made / used to make / would make us do overtime until seven p.m. When our new teacher walked into the room I knew I saw her before.

I used to have long hair when I was little.

All are possible

When our new teacher walked into the room I knew I had seen her before.

I am living here all my life.

I have lived here all my life.

Notes

I've had / been having this watch for three years.

I've had this watch for three years.

stative / action verbs In this example, have is a stative verb so it cant take a continuous form.

I've been to Australia last year.

I went to Australia last year.

present perfect / past simple The action is complete and happened at a specific time in the past Last year. been / gone With the present perfect tense, gone means shes there now; been would mean she isnt there now. past tenses complete / incomplete This is complete so a continuous tense cant be used. present perfect / past simple This is something that is complete and happened at a specific time in the past from the past until now It is still true, so present perfect. With the verb work present perfect simple and continuous are both possible with no significant difference in meaning. past tenses complete / incomplete This is complete so a continuous tense cant be used. past tenses complete / incomplete + past habits past tense we dont know how many times; used to play: we know it was a habit more than one. This is complete so past continuous is not possible used to / would for past habits and states Have long hair is a past state. You cant use would for a past state. used to / would for past habits and states This is a past habit, so all are possible

She's been to lunch. She'll be back in an hour.

She's gone to lunch. She'll be back in an hour. I lived /used to live in China when I was a child. I worked for an insurance company from 1999 2001.

I was living in China when I was a child. I have worked for an insurance company from 1999 2001.

I am working for a small company since I left school.

I have worked / have been working for a small company since I left school.

I worked / was working in a bank for two years after I left school. When I was a child we played / were playing / used to play in the street after school. I used to have / would have long hair when I was little. In my last job they made / used to make / would make us do overtime until seven p.m. When our new teacher walked into the room I knew I saw her before.

I worked in a bank for two years after I left school.

When I was a child we played / used to play in the street after school.

I used to have long hair when I was little.

All are possible

When our new teacher walked into the room I knew I had seen her before.

past tenses The past perfect makes it clear that (see) happened before (know). from the past until now Still true so present perfect. Normally it is possible to use either present perfect simple or continuous. But with a long period of time such as all my life, present perfect simple is normal

I am living here all my life.

I have lived here all my life.